


kissing booths (and honest truths)

by thirdwish



Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, One Shot, pre-dating!posie, this trope has been done to death in so many fandoms, what's one more amirite
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-18
Updated: 2019-01-18
Packaged: 2019-10-12 05:02:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17461103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thirdwish/pseuds/thirdwish
Summary: When Josie is left stranded as Lizzie’s unwilling substitute at the school carnival’s kissing booth, an unlikely savior comes in the form of a certain Penelope Park and her abundance of tickets.





	kissing booths (and honest truths)

**Author's Note:**

> ah yes, kissing booths... the superior rom-com cliché

Everyone knew for a fact that Josie Saltzman would do anything for her twin sister, but now as she stood, gripping the edge of the flimsy plastic table with sweaty palms, she couldn’t help thinking that _this_ was really pushing it.

 

It was Lizzie who had insisted on the kissing booth idea for the annual fundraising carnival, a collaboration between Mystic Falls High School and Salvatore Boarding School. Being the headmaster, Dad had repeatedly stressed the importance of putting on this appearance once a year to show the locals that they were normal kids.

 

Or at least, as normal as they could act.

 

Over at the strength tester, Jed, a werewolf, smashed the mallet so hard on the machine that the bell almost rang right off the tower. His werewolf buddies whooped and cheered as he collected his prize from a girl in a Mystic Falls jersey who frankly looked a little freaked out. Josie made a mental note to suggest organizing a simpler and more stress-free event next time, like a charity football game.

 

Turning her attention back to her predicament, she desperately scanned the field for her sister’s blonde curls. This wasn’t part of the deal at all; Lizzie was supposed to be doing the kissing. Josie was in charge of setting up the booth, distributing flyers, collecting tickets, keeping time, cleaning up…basically everything else. But the minute Lizzie hit it off with a vampire boy from the year above them, she didn’t think twice about leaving with him, though not before begging Josie to be her substitute and when had Josie ever been able to say no to her twin?

 

She fiddled skittishly with the timer, trying to calm her nerves. The carnival was scheduled to end at five; there were only fifteen minutes left. The crowds were winding down. No one would be interested in using the last of their tickets to kiss her anyway.

 

No one except Jon Harmon maybe, whom she had gone on a disastrous date with last week (it was the last time she would ever let Lizzie set her up on a blind date). He had been rude, self-absorbed and unable to take a hint even as she told him in the nicest way possible that she never wanted to see him again.

 

Speak of the devil. She cursed internally.

 

There he was, a short distance away with his friends, who began nudging him and pointing in her direction. A lecherous grin spread across Jon’s face and he started to make a beeline for the booth. Josie’s stomach churned. At this point, she wanted nothing more than to evaporate into thin air.

 

Just as she was debating the pros and cons of casting a vanishing spell on the spot, an unlikely savior arrived in the form of Penelope Park holding a clipboard.

 

“Kissing booth, huh?” The raven-haired witch paused in front of the counter and quirked a perfectly shaped eyebrow. “Didn’t think this was a Josie Saltzman kind of thing.”

 

“It was Lizzie’s idea,” Josie let out an inner sigh of relief as Jon faltered, a few steps behind, “but she uh, found someone she wanted to kiss for free, so…I’m standing in.”

 

Penelope stayed silent for a moment, watching as Josie drummed her fingers erratically on the countertop. “And are you comfortable with this?”

 

“Not exactly, no,” she admitted.

 

“Why not?”

 

“Well, there’s someone I really want to avoid,” she started, peering behind Penelope at Jon, who was tapping his foot impatiently. To her horror, a small queue was beginning to form behind him. “Plus, I haven’t kissed very many people,” she said quietly. “Call me old fashioned but I kinda want them to actually mean something, you know?”

 

Josie wasn’t sure if Penelope could relate. She was easily the most popular witch in their year (much to Lizzie’s annoyance), had plenty of admirers and was infinitely more experienced in the hooking up department.

 

Penelope frowned slightly. “Why didn’t you tell Lizzie that before you let her run off with some dude and leave you?”

 

“She seemed to really like him…and…she needed me.” Josie shrugged weakly, unable to offer a better explanation.

 

“Hmm,” Penelope mused to herself, then pretended to scribble on her clipboard. “Number 29. Absent booth operator. Deferred responsibility to unwilling substitute.”

 

“What about you? Didn’t think extra-curricular activities were a Penelope Park kind of thing.”

 

“It’s not,” she said airily, spinning her pen deftly in between her fingers. “Supervising just means I get to walk around looking important while everyone else does the actual work. Speaking of, someone should really check on Dana’s booth.”

 

Sure enough, there was a faint smell of smoke coming from the direction of the food stalls. In spite of herself, Josie suddenly had an irrational urge to grab the girl by the wrists to make her stay. As if she could read her mind, Penelope pondered for a moment, then reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out a hefty stack of carnival tickets.

 

Josie felt her mouth drop open. “How did you get so many?”

 

“I have my ways.”

 

Josie watched, frozen, as Penelope tore one off and slid it into the ticket box. Then, she put her clipboard down on the table and a hand on her hip.

 

“So, are you gonna start the timer?”

 

“I–”

 

Josie's heart started pounding wildly against her ribs. Not that she had never imagined what it was like to kiss Penelope Park – the thought may have surfaced once or twice during her classroom fantasies – but now that she was standing in front of her in all her beauty, imagination just got a little too real.

 

Hands shaking, she fumbled with the timer and pushed down a button. With a beep, it began counting down from one minute.

 

Taking a deep breath, Josie placed both palms on the counter to steady herself (she didn’t trust her knees not to buckle), screwed her eyes shut and leaned forward. But what she expected never came.

 

A gentle flick against her forehead prompted her to open her eyes.

 

“Relax, I’m not making you kiss me,” Penelope explained, barely concealed amusement dancing across her pretty face, “I just have a lot of spare tickets. Could help you buy some time.”

 

“Oh,” Josie exhaled, berating herself for daring to feel a tinge of disappointment. “Thanks. You don’t _have_ to do that.” Even as she said it, she couldn’t help shooting a worried look at the growing number of waiting customers.

 

Penelope followed her line of sight and looked over her shoulder. “Long queue,” she observed.

 

“I didn’t think there would be this many people,” Josie replied honestly.

 

“Give yourself a bit more credit, Saltzman.”

 

Josie felt her stomach do a little flip at this offhand remark, but before she could formulate a response, the timer went off with three consecutive beeps. Penelope calmly slotted in another ticket.

 

“I’m sorry,” Josie muttered apologetically as she reset the device, “this is such a waste of your tickets.”

 

“Oh, I wouldn’t call it a waste,” said Penelope, sending her an almost imperceptible wink and Josie couldn’t stop a blush from creeping up her cheeks. The rumors were true – in between all these cryptic comments, Penelope Park was way too charming for her own good.

 

“I’m serious, there are so many other things you could do with those.”

 

“Like what?”

 

“Corn dogs, pretzels, cotton candy!” Josie ticked off her fingers.

 

“Too oily, too salty, too sweet.”

 

“How about Wheel of Fortune? Or coin toss?”

 

“I don’t play games of chance,” Penelope said resolutely, crossing her arms over her chest. “I only go for things I’m sure of. Except…” she paused, then tilted her head and regarded Josie with an unreadable expression, “…never mind.”

 

“Why?” Josie asked, curious.

 

Penelope’s gaze shifted away into the distance. When she spoke, there was no trace of smugness or superiority. “That’s how you make sure you never lose in life.”

 

“But where’s the meaning in that?” Josie argued earnestly. “We all need to take a leap of faith once in a while.”

 

“Even if you end up getting hurt?”

 

Josie wasn’t quite sure if the conversation was about carnival games anymore, but she nodded in conviction. “Some things are worth taking a chance for, even if you risk getting hurt.”

 

A beat passed between them as Penelope contemplated this. Then, her lips curved into a genuine smile so blinding that it made Josie’s heartbeat speed up into overdrive again.

 

“Maybe you’re right.”

 

*

 

Josie didn’t realize how long they had been standing there talking, but when the timer went off the sixth time, the audible grumbling coming from the queue of people grew significantly louder.

 

“Hey, what the hell,” Jon interrupted, tapping Penelope forcefully on the shoulder, “how much longer are you going to take?”

 

Unlike Josie, who began wringing her hands in distress, Penelope didn’t seem the least bit perturbed. “As long as I can afford to, I guess.” She shoved the entire stack of tickets into the box. “That should give me another twenty minutes at least.”

 

Jon scoffed in irritation. “Y’all Salvatore kids really are insufferable.” He rounded on Josie, who chewed anxiously on her bottom lip. “Look Jo, I know what you’re doing. Stop playing hard to get.”

 

At this, Penelope shot him a glare that could turn a mortal’s blood to ice. “I think she’s not interested, dude.”

 

Jon must have felt it too, because he took an uncertain step backwards. “Whatever,” he spat, “don’t come asking for a second date when you realize what you’re missing.” He turned on his heel and stormed away.

 

Penelope stared at his retreating figure in disdain. “That’s the jerk you’re trying to avoid? Do you want me to hex him for you?”

 

“Nah,” Josie shook her head and sighed, “we’ll get in trouble for using magic.”

 

“Fine,” Penelope shrugged, but a few seconds later, there was a high-pitched yelp as Jon tripped over his shoelaces that had mysteriously come undone and planted face first into the mud.

 

Josie couldn’t help laughing in satisfaction.

 

*

 

“ _Damn_ Josette, how many people did you kiss while I was gone?” Lizzie asked in surprise, as they put aside the last of the boxes. “Anyway, great work pulling through. Now I get to go on a romantic dinner date with Mark, he’s so dreamy, I _can’t_ wait to tell you all about him–”

 

“Glad I could help, Lizzie,” Josie said absentmindedly, searching the dispersing crowd for a sign of familiar dark hair and olive skin. She was happy for her sister, she really was, but now she needed to find Penelope, who had disappeared after Mr. Williams officially announced the end of the event.

 

Finally, she spotted her sitting on the bleachers, surrounded by her throng of adoring followers. Josie jogged over, then regretted doing so because now her face was probably flushed and her hair no doubt looked like a mess. What if Penelope ignored her? What if she didn’t want anything to do with her after today? What if–

 

“Hi,” Josie spilled out, before her thoughts could get the better of her, “can I talk to you for a second?”

 

Penelope looked up, a small smile tugging at the edge of her lips. “Sure.”

 

She got up and followed Josie over to the side of the field. They walked a few more steps before Josie turned to her. “So, our booth collected the most number of tickets, apparently.”

 

“I heard,” said Penelope with her signature smirk, “congratulations.”

 

“It was clearly because of you,” Josie continued sheepishly. “We won four dinner coupons at this fancy Italian place in town. Lizzie’s bringing that boy she’s currently obsessed with and…I have an extra coupon.” She scuffed her shoe against the grass. “I was wondering if you’d um, like to go with me…as a thank you of course,” she added hastily.

 

Penelope chuckled lightly. “Do we have to sit with your twin and her tongue-battler?” She jerked her thumb at Lizzie who was currently leaning against a tree, wrapped in the tightest embrace with Mark the vampire.

 

“No,” Josie said immediately, pulling a face at the sight, “it’ll be just us.” Then she realized what that sounded like. “Well, because we don’t want to watch them make out the whole time.”

 

A short moment of silence followed, in which Josie spent concentrating hard on the ground. She would likely die of embarrassment and disappointment if the answer was ‘no’. Before she could stop herself, she began to backtrack quickly, “Actually, you must be super busy. I’m sure you have a lot of other things to do, forget I asked–”

 

“Josie Saltzman,” Penelope said firmly, cutting off her stream of rambling. She lifted a hand to her cheeks so that Josie was staring straight into her piercing green eyes. “I’d love to.”

 

“Really?” Josie let out a breath she didn’t know she had been holding. “I–I mean, okay, cool.”

 

“See,” Penelope said with a grin, moving her hand from her face to tuck a stray strand of hair behind the other girl’s ear, “I knew it wasn’t a waste of tickets.”

 

Josie inhaled sharply at the contact and her stomach did a little somersault. For the first time, she didn’t even care about what Lizzie would say. She could feel herself falling further down this pit that was her snowballing crush on Penelope Park, but right now, she couldn’t bring herself to try to stop it. Maybe this was one thing she could have to herself.

 

Maybe carnivals weren’t so bad after all.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I don't usually post my work, but this hiatus has been unbearable. comments and feedback are always welcome :)


End file.
